Lake Cook Audubon

05/22/2026

We saw the Piping Plovers on our trip to Montrose last weekend as well! Can you spot both of them in this video?

05/20/2026

05/20/2026

Another video from our trip to Montrose this past weekend - a Bay-breasted warbler!!! Spring migration is in full effect - who else is enjoying it???

05/18/2026

We had such a great time at Montrose this weekend! Here is one of the highlights - a Prothonotary Warbler :)

05/18/2026

Want to hear about a new way to protect birds migrating through urban environments? Join us at 7 pm tomorrow (Tuesday May 19) at Heller Nature Center in Highland Park to learn about a unique acoustic monitoring project that utilizes nocturnal flight call recorders placed strategically on rooftops around Chicagoland to fill a critical gap in our knowledge of bird migration. Tools like Birdcast show the volume of birds moving overhead at night, but they can’t identify the birds by species. Windy City Bird Lab Director J'orge Garcia will explain how this project does that, what the data is showing us, and why it matters. More details are here: https://www.lakecookaudubon.org/conversion-alerts/event/whos-migrating-tonight-chicagos-flight-call-recorder-project-knows/?instance_id=1028

05/14/2026

Native plant sale alert! Here's a great opportunity to make your yard a haven for birds and pollinators.

Shop the Button Blazing Star and other native plants at our plant sale evanstonenvironment.org/nativeplantsale

Button Blazing Star is an eye-catching perennial that boasts fluffy, purple-pink flowers on tall, upright spikes, blooming from late summer to early fall and adding vertical interest to any garden space. Thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, this native plant is drought-tolerant once established, making it a low-maintenance option for wildflower meadows, prairie gardens, or perennial borders. Its nectar-rich blooms are magnets for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, while its seeds attract birds, enhancing the garden's biodiversity and offering a lively spectacle of nature's interaction.

Soil Type: Sand
Soil Conditions: Average dry / medium well-drained
Flower Color: Purple
Flower Time: August-October
Height: 1'-1.5'
Light: Full Sun
Features: Birds, Pollinators
Credits: Info courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden; Photo courtesy of illinoiswildflowers.info

05/13/2026

Have you ever heard of a bird that’s three species in one? Quite an ID challenge!

An unusual warbler in Pennsylvania has been discovered harbouring an incredible genetic secret.

05/04/2026

Our members and board of directors are working to protect and restore habitat across the state of Illinois! From Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in McHenry County to Clifftop's White Rock Legacy Expansion.

Land Acquisition News - Decades of visioning creates 2,300-acre corridor of protected habitat - https://mailchi.mp/illinoisaudubon/whiterock-10141064

05/04/2026

Spectacular bird walk at Muirhead Springs in Kane County this past Saturday!

Water levels were still high so there weren’t any mudflats, but we were nevertheless treated to Black-necked Stilts, Dunlin, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper and multiple Soras serenading us throughout our nearly three-hour walk. The American Bittern that has been reported there made an appearance as he lifted out of the ponds on his way west, an Osprey put on a show directly in front of us as he went fishing for breakfast, and three Broad-winged Hawks circled directly over our heads with crystal-clear views in the cloudless sky.

In addition, the grasslands yielded several Bobolink looking spiffy in their backward tuxedos, multiple Eastern Meadowlark and a heard-only Henslow’s Sparrow, and we had four species of swallow constantly swooping over the ponds plus a single Bank Swallow giving us a clean sweep in that department.

As we left, a quick stop by the Rohrsen Road fluddle around the corner yielded several American Pipit just a stone’s throw from the road for clear views. A great end to a wonderful morning.

Many thanks to Kane County Audubon for once again leading us in this very special habitat. We look forward to repaying the favor later this month closer to our patch at Horizon Farm in Barrington.

Thanks also to Pieter Bonin and Jill Senner for their photos. A good time was had by all!

04/16/2026

Last Saturday, 23 Lake/Cook Audubon members and friends spent three hours on a “Big Day” planting day designed to create a bird oasis at Carruthers Nature Preserve in Lake Forest. This preserve is the site of the chapter’s ongoing collaborative restoration project with Lake Forest Open Lands Association. Over 66 native shrubs and trees were planted and mulched at a strategic location along the preserve’s boardwalk, with 14 species including Cedar, Dogwood, Hazelnut, Buttonbush, Chokecherry, Plum, Elderberry and False Indigo. These plants will provide food sources, cover and nesting sites for our native birds.

Following the planting, several pounds of native seed mixes were spread throughout both wet and dry areas of the prairie. These wildflowers will support the local insect pollinators, perhaps even enticing the endangered Rusty-patched Bumble Bee which has been reported in nearby preserves. (We can always dream!)

During the planting session, we were serenaded by Song Sparrows and observed Northern Flickers and Tree Swallows claiming territories for the upcoming nesting season. The Killdeer were busy checking out the open areas for suitable places to raise their young. Our Eastern Bluebird nestboxes were already receiving some visitors, and this week the Purple Martins began to take up residence in the “condo” we monitor onsite.

A big shout out to the Lake Forest Open Lands Association, with whom we have been partnering to help restore this property since 2020. They also partnered with us on this Big Day effort, ordered the plants on our behalf, provided tools and instructions, and are now installing fencing around the plants to keep out unwanted animal visitors.

We look forward to seeing these new shrubs and trees grow into a layered hedge that will attract birds, pollinators and local nature lovers for years to come.